I don't think so. I am of the opinion that people find a compromise between what they enjoy doing and something that allows them to live the lifestyle they want

I don't think so. I am of the opinion that people find a compromise between what they enjoy doing and something that allows them to live the lifestyle they want. From my experience the folks you mentioned all seem to have in common an interest in solving difficult problems. So being a physicist/engineer/mathematician can be a means to this end. In fact, doing something for so long in college can make you realize that it's not something you want to be doing, so you look for other problem solving outlets instead (which might pay more).